Menu
  1. Home»
  2. Essential Nutrients»
  3. Minerals —»
  4. Copper –»
NutriSavvy_Know_Your_Food_Options_Banner

Copper is a mineral present in high amounts in a large variety of whole-foods, plant-based sources. In fact, deficiency in adults is uncommon except for women during pregnancy and lactation, when they typically fall short by about 200 mcg. Some of the food groups with the highest amount of copper include whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens. Vegetables like sweet potatoes and asparagus are also very rich.

We need copper for brain development, for the formation of our neurotransmitters, and to maintain our nervous system. We also need it for gene activation, for our connective tissue, for our immune system, for energy production, and for the formation of melatonin in our hair and skin.

When it comes to copper, too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Getting high doses of copper through supplements can lead to cognitive decline and even Alzheimer’s disease when combined with saturated fats.

Top Whole-Food, Plant-Based Sources

Hover over each food below to see how much copper you can get with one serving. Click on each food’s picture to visit its interactive page with a personalized calculator of all the nutrition you can get from one serving, more information about how it supports our body, tips to choose and prepare it, interesting facts, and more!

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

1 c cooked = 44%

Link
Cashews

Cashews

1/4 c raw = 80%

Link
Quinoa

Quinoa

1 c cooked = 39%

Link
Chickpeas

Chickpeas

1 c cooked = 64%

Link
Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower Seeds

1/4 c dried kernels = 70%

Link
White Mushrooms

White Mushrooms

1 c cooked = 87%

Link
Soybeans

Soybeans

Mature 1 c cooked = 78% | Edameme 1 c = 59%

Link
Shiitake Mushrooms

Shiitake Mushrooms

1 c cooked = 144%

Link

Copper Personalized Calculator

See how much copper you and your family members need, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.

Terminology:

  • Daily Value (DV): The recommended amount of nutrients to consume each day for individuals who are 4 years old or older.
  • Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA): The recommended amount of nutrients to consume each day according to the individual’s age, gender, and whether a woman is pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • Upper Intake Level (UL): The highest amount of nutrient intake that will not pose adverse health effects on most individuals.

How Our Body Uses Copper

Hover over each pointer below for more details on how our body uses copper.

Copper_basketball-boy_DNA_cells_nervous-system_1080
Be NutriSavvy

Important Things to Know

Hover over each of the interesting facts below to flip the tiles and learn more details.

Check out the interesting facts below! Tap on the red triangles to flip the tiles and learn more details.

Copper and zinc compete for absorption. Balance is key.

Copper and zinc compete for absorption and for binding proteins in our cells. A plant-based diet tips the scales towards copper, because it is more prevalent in foods rich in both nutrients. This makes the case for supplementing some of our zinc. If you do, limit the amount to 40 mg/day to avoid getting too much zinc which would in turn result in a copper deficiency.

Copper is important for iron metabolism.

Copper is involved in iron metabolism. A copper deficiency generates cellular iron deficiency, resulting in reduced intellectual capacity, diminished growth, alterations in bone mineralization, and diminished immune response. Early in life it can lead to cognitive limitations that persist into adulthood.

Pregnant and lactating women are at risk of copper deficiency.

The average copper intake in adult women in the U.S. is 1100 mcg per day. The RDA for pregnant and lactating women above 19 years old in 1300 mcg per day. It’s important to add more sources of copper during these periods to prevent a copper deficiency in our babies that could result in cognitive limitations.

Flavonoids prevent oxidative damage from excess copper.

Excess copper can cause oxidative damage. Flavonoids, which are plant nutrients found in berries, cruciferous vegetables, onions, and soybeans, among many other plant foods, can bind to excess copper before it can cause any damage in our body. Fortunately, a great amount of plant-based sources of copper are also rich in flavonoids.

Excessive copper and saturated fat may lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

A diet rich in saturated fats leads to the formation of plaques in the brain that can result in Alzheimer’s disease. Dietary copper interferes with the clearance of these plaques and makes them more toxic, leading to increased oxidative stress that accelerates the progression of the disease.

Copper and zinc compete for absorption. Balance is key.

Copper and zinc compete for absorption and for binding proteins in our cells. A plant-based diet tips the scales towards copper, because it is more prevalent in foods rich in both nutrients. This makes the case for supplementing some of our zinc. If you do, limit the amount to 40 mg/day to avoid getting too much zinc which would in turn result in a copper deficiency.

Copper is important for iron metabolism.

Copper is involved in iron metabolism. A copper deficiency generates cellular iron deficiency, resulting in reduced intellectual capacity, diminished growth, alterations in bone mineralization, and diminished immune response. Early in life it can lead to cognitive limitations that persist into adulthood.

Pregnant and lactating women are at risk of copper deficiency.

The average copper intake in adult women in the U.S. is 1100 mcg per day. The RDA for pregnant and lactating women above 19 years old in 1300 mcg per day. It’s important to add more sources of copper during these periods to prevent a copper deficiency in our babies that could result in cognitive limitations.

Flavonoids in many copper-rich foods prevent oxidative damage from excess copper.

Excess copper can cause oxidative damage. Flavonoids, which are plant nutrients found in berries, cruciferous vegetables, onions, and soybeans, among many other plant foods, can bind to excess copper before it can cause any damage in our body. Fortunately, a great amount of plant-based sources of copper are also rich in flavonoids.

Excessive copper and a diet rich in saturated fat increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

A diet rich in saturated fats leads to the formation of plaques in the brain that can result in Alzheimer’s disease. Dietary copper interferes with the clearance of these plaques and makes them more toxic, leading to increased oxidative stress that accelerates the progression of the disease.

Comparison of Copper Sources

You may be wondering about other potential sources of copper, such as supplements and animal-based products. Below we make a quick and simple comparison between the three choices.

Best source!
Plant-Based
It’s very easy to get all the copper we need from plant-based sources since it is present in high amounts in whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and mushrooms. It’s also present in good amounts in leafy greens, vegetables, and fruits!
We can’t get too much copper through plant-based sources because flavonoids present in many plant-based foods bind to copper keeping it from causing oxidative stress in our body.
Supplements
Supplementing copper is not typically necessary in healthy persons.
High amounts of copper in multivitamins have been found to triple the rate of cognitive decline when combined with a diet rich in saturated fats.
Animal-based
Shellfish and organ meats are the riches animal-based sources of copper. However, shellfish also has high levels of PCBS and DDT, cadmium, and microplastics. Organ meats are high in saturated fats.
Saturated fats lead to the formation of plaques in the brain that can lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

References